The Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) views the increase in Indonesia’s imports from January to September 2025—driven mainly by higher capital goods purchases—as a positive indicator of ongoing industrial expansion. Celios Executive Director Bhima Yudhistira stated that this surge suggests industries are gearing up to enhance production capacity, with tangible results expected within the next three to six months. He highlighted the chemical, pharmaceutical, and steel industries as sectors with strong growth potential.
Bhima emphasized that to further strengthen industrial competitiveness, the government should consider incentives such as value-added tax (VAT) reductions on imported capital goods, property tax relief, and lower electricity tariffs. Data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) showed that the nation’s trade balance recorded a surplus for 65 consecutive months, totaling USD 33.48 billion between January and September 2025. During this period, Indonesia’s exports reached USD 209.8 billion, while imports amounted to USD 176.32 billion—up 2.62% year-on-year, driven by a 3.36% rise in capital goods imports.
